I’m participating in the May Clear Your Shelf Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.
I’m giving away a hardcover copy of THE FORSAKEN by Lisa M. Stasse.
*Giveaway from May 7, 2013 – May 13, 2013.
*If you cheat, I’ll find you.
*I’m not responsible for items lost in the mail.
– leeanna
Check out the rest of the blogs on the hop:
I slacked somewhat on the blogging this month, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t busy! For starters, I read 24 books. That’s almost a book a day. I met my goal of 8,000 pages for April’s Page Count Contest, actually reading 8,743 pages. I also wrote about 30,000 words, so I’d say it was a productive month!
I have discovered I can read while on the treadmill. Hopefully this will encourage me to go to the gym more, as I would really like to do a half-marathon by the end of the year. I might even try audiobooks when I start weight training, but we’ll see — I’ve never been a fan.
I have also discovered I can read ebooks and fish in World of Warcraft. I predict this to be useful for my gold making skills and the blog. I’ve liked fishing ever since vanilla WoW, so I’m a nut for it.
I’ve pretty much cut out all memes on the blog, although I might still participate once in a while if a topic or upcoming book really excites me. Why? I looked at all the reviews I have written and haven’t posted and realized I NEED to post them. I do find memes easier to comment on (how many times can you say good review?), but I’ve got at least 50 unposted reviews.
I also claimed my blog on Bloglovin’, so if you are using that to follow other blogs, why not follow me too?
Reviews Written:
Strangelets by Michelle Gagnon.
Kings of Ruin by Sam Cameron.
Eternal Revelations by Candis Vargo.
Fang Girl by Helen Keeble.
Stung by Bethany Wiggins.
Nefertiti’s Heart by A. W. Exley.
Wasteland by Susan Kim & Laurence Klavan.
Innocent Darkness by Suzanne Lazear.
The S-Word by Chelsea Pitcher.
Waiting on Wednesday:
The Uprising by Lisa M. Stasse.
Inside the Nest:
Week 5: On Writing
Other Stuff:
Happy Earth Day: Book Trailer for Black Feathers by Joseph D’Lacey
Goal Progress:
How did I do on my Blogging Resolutions?
01: Post 2-3 reviews a week CHECK
02: Keep Amazon/Goodreads updated Check!
03: Make 1 vlog a month
04: Post 1 personal update a week
05: Use Facebook
06: Learn about SEO
07: Be more active on Twitter
Lots and lots of review! I have two weeks worth scheduled right now, with plenty more posts to finish. I have quite a few books I need to read and review this month, so I’m going to let my writing WIPs have a break. I figure if I like them when I pick them up in June, that’s a good sign. And if I don’t, well, I doubt anyone else will either!
I am participating in #estellagram on Instagram. Mostly. I’ve forgotten a few days already, but I’ll try to post more often, along with trying to be more social on Twitter.
– leeanna
Today I am one of the stops on the blog tour for THE FORGOTTEN ONES by Laura Howard. The tour is hosted by Itching For Books and you can check out the rest of the stops here.
Info:
Title: The Forgotten Ones
Author: Laura Howard
Release Date: April 30, 2012
Publisher: Self-Published
Source: Author for blog tour
Series? Danaan Trilogy #1
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Fantasy
Page Count: 177
Rating: 
[3/5 stars]
Summary:
Allison O’Malley’s plan is to go to grad school so she can get a good job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She has carefully closed herself off from everything else, including a relationship with Ethan, who she’s been in love with for as long as she can remember.
What is definitely not part of the plan is the return of her long-lost father, who claims he can bring Allison’s mother back from the dark place her mind has gone. Allison doesn’t trust her father, so why would she believe his stories about a long forgotten Irish people, the Tuatha de Danaan? But truths have a way of revealing themselves. Secrets will eventually surface. And Allison must learn to set aside her plan and work with her father if there is even a small chance it could restore her mother’s sanity. (summary from goodreads)
My Review:
THE FORGOTTEN ONES is an interesting blend of contemporary and fantasy. Main character Allison is twenty-one, which places the book in the new adult age range, but it reads sort of like a young adult book, so I’d recommend for fans of either or both. She has some experiences of young adult characters, like dancing around a guy she likes, but also experiences of adults, with her desire to take care of her mother on her own.
I liked Allison. She’s responsible and smart, and doesn’t let a cute guy sway her from her intended goals. Allison’s mother has schizophrenia, and she blames herself for her mother’s disorder, because it developed after she was born. Her mother’s parents have always taken care of Allison and her mother, but now that she’s an adult, Allison feels it’s time for her to step up.
The first half of THE FORGOTTEN ONES is contemporary. There’s a hint of the fantasy world to come, because Allison has strange dreams, but otherwise, she lives a pretty normal life. It’s only when her long lost father shows up that she learns the truth about him: he’s a Danaan, an Irish fairy. Allison rightfully resents her father for leaving her mother pregnant and alone, so she’s not happy that he claims he’s the only one that can fix her mom.
When Allison enters Tír na n’Óg, aka Irish fairy stomping grounds, the fantasy part of THE FORGOTTEN ONES comes alive. I liked that the author turned to Irish mythology for inspiration. Allison quickly gets stuck in the middle of Danaan politics in an attempt to rescue her mother. She doesn’t know who she can trust, because Danaan are verrrry tricky. But she has an ally in Aodhan, a human who gradually turned Danaan after spending hundreds of years in Tír na n’Óg. I found Aodhan an interesting character because he’s a good example of what happens to humans when they spend too much time in Tír na n’Óg.
Allison does have a love interest, Ethan. She’s known Ethan since they were kids, and although they shared a pretty passionate kiss a few years ago, she doesn’t want to get anywhere near a relationship with him. As I said above, Allison doesn’t want to be detracted by a guy because supporting herself and her mother is more important to her. Inevitably, though, they head towards a relationship. Ethan’s a nice guy, but I wasn’t convinced of their attraction to each other.
THE FORGOTTEN ONES is a good start to a new series. It is a short read at only 177 pages. I would have liked to see a longer book because I think the story and characters could have been expanded upon. I had trouble keeping track of all the different Danaan because they were introduced in quick succession. I also thought the ending was somewhat abrupt. However, the author did intrigue me enough for me to want to find out what happens next to Allison.
Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
*giveaway is tour-wide.
About the author:
Laura Howard lives in New Hampshire with her husband and four children. Her obsession with books began at the age of 6 when she got her first library card. Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High and other girly novels were routinely devoured in single sittings. Books took a backseat to diapers when she had her first child. It wasn’t until the release of a little novel called Twilight, 8 years later, that she rediscovered her love of fiction. Soon after, her own characters began to make themselves known. The Forgotten Ones is her first published novel.
– leeanna
Info:
Title: The Eternity Cure
Author: Julie Kagawa
Release Date: April 30, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: NetGalley/Harlequin Teen
Series? Blood of Eden #2
Series Reviews:
Blood of Eden #1: The Immortal Rules
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Dystopian
Page Count: 446
Rating: [3/5 stars]
Summary:
Allison Sekemoto has vowed to rescue her creator, Kanin, who is being held hostage and tortured by the psychotic vampire Sarren. The call of blood leads her back to the beginning—New Covington and the Fringe, and a vampire prince who wants her dead yet may become her wary ally.
Even as Allie faces shocking revelations and heartbreak like she’s never known, a new strain of the Red Lung virus that decimated humanity is rising to threaten human and vampire alike. (summary from goodreads)
My Review:
After reading THE IMMORTAL RULES twice in less than a year, and loving the experience each time, I couldn’t wait to get my paws on THE ETERNITY CURE. I couldn’t wait to find out what was next in Allie’s story, and also to find out more about the vampire world Julie Kagawa created.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t blown away by THE ETERNITY CURE. Though it is a worthy sequel, for me, it had middle book syndrome. The first 150 – 200 pages took me a long time to read, because there just wasn’t a lot going on. After that, the book did pick up, with lots of action and some interesting developments. I did predict several of the plot twists, but I’m not going to name them because I don’t want to spoil anyone. All I can say is: REALLY Salazar?
The best part of the first half or so is Jackal, Allie’s blood-brother. Allie spends a lot of the book bemoaning her vampiric nature. At first I thought she had accepted that she’s a vampire and humans are now lower on the food chain, but no, she thinks about it. A lot. I can understand some soul searching, especially after she spent her first lifetime in misery because she didn’t want to become a slave to the vampires. But there comes a point when too much angst is too much.
That’s why I liked Jackal. Compared to Allie, he’s a breath of fresh air. He’s a vampire through and through, and has no apologies or hesitation about killing or hurting humans to get what he needs. I got sick of Allie judging him for being a vampire. Message to Allie: vampires EAT people. Vampires NEED blood to survive.
The main story in THE ETERNITY CURE is the search for Kanin. The sire of Allie and Jackal, Kanin was kidnapped by the extremely psychotic vampire Sarren. Mix together every crazy serial killer and you’ll get an idea of Sarren’s personality. While searching, Allie and Jackal sort of bond, and I had more than a few laughs at Jackal’s dark, sarcastic sense of humor. In THE IMMORTAL RULES, Allie was my favorite character, but Jackal stole the show for me in book two.
At almost 450 pages, THE ETERNITY CURE is quite long for a young adult book. Length doesn’t bother me, and I like sinking my teeth (fangs?) into a long book, but I think it could have been slimmed down and lost some of the slow, slow beginning. There were also quite a few instances of being reminded of the same thing over and over again, which could have been cut down. For example, I lost count of how many times Allie told the reader she would be cold, if only winter weather still bothered her.
But when Allie and Jackal return to New Covington in pursuit of Kanin and information on the Red Lung virus, the book does pick up. The last half is why I’m giving it a good rating, and why I want to find out what will happen in the third book of the series.
Zeke makes a return, too. I wasn’t convinced of their relationship in THE IMMORTAL RULES, and I wasn’t here, either. I just wanted … more. I had a hard time believing Zeke would go against a lifetime of indoctrination to hate vampires by falling in love with Allie.
The ending of THE ETERNITY CURE was great. In the last half, there’s tons of action, double-crossing, and violence. Although I was underwhelmed by the first half and by several other things, the ending of the book redeemed the series for me.
Socialize with the author:
Julie Kagawa:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
– leeanna
Title: The Immortal Rules
Author: Julie Kagawa
Release Date: April 24, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: Library
Series? Blood of Eden #1
Series Reviews:
Blood of Eden #2: The Eternity Cure
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Dystopian
Page Count: 485
Rating: 
[5/5 stars]
Summary:
To survive in a ruined world, she must embrace the darkness
Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a walled-in city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them—the vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself dies and becomes one of the monsters.
Forced to flee her city, Allie must pass for human as she joins a ragged group of pilgrims seeking a legend—a place that might have a cure for the disease that killed off most of civilization and created the rabids, the bloodthirsty creatures who threaten human and vampire alike. And soon Allie will have to decide what and who is worth dying for again. (summary from goodreads)
My Review:
THE IMMORTAL RULES has some of my favorite things: vampires, a dystopian society, and a kick-butt main character. It was one of THE books of 2012, and I’ve actually read the book twice in less than a year, first in June 2012 and now in April 2013. Both times I loved it, and didn’t want it to end.
As a human, Allison Sekemoto struggles to survive in a world where most humans are nothing more than sacks of walking blood. Vampires rule what’s left of America, doling out supplies in exchange for required blood “donations.” Allie, fiercely independent and unwilling to Register with the vampires, ekes out a miserable existence. Unregistered humans don’t officially exist, so they don’t get food tickets or housing. Searching for food and protecting her gang are her only priorities, although she does know how to do one thing most humans don’t: read.
The world Julie Kagawa has created is a harsh one, and I loved it. The world-building is well-done, with enough details to immerse me in the story without overloading me on backstory. At the beginning of THE IMMORTAL RULES, Allie is a prickly character. But she’s that way because of her life, which is a day-to-day struggle. Besides the vampire overlords, Allie faces danger from rival gangs, rabids, and starvation.
When Allie’s offered a second chance at life after being attacked by rabids, you almost wonder why she would even take it. This quote is one of my favorites from the book: “But in reality, when faced with death and the great unknown that came after, my survival instinct snatched wildly at whatever lifeline was offered. I didn’t want to die. Even if it meant becoming something I loathed, my nature was, first and always, to survive (Chapter 4).”
I think all readers can identify with the desire to survive. And once Allie becomes a vampire, the very thing she hates the most, she ironically becomes more human. When she isn’t concerned with survival, her humanity returns, which I thought was an interesting dichotomy.
After being separated from her vampire mentor, Kanin (who is a very interesting character, and I can’t wait to see more of him), Allie encounters a group of humans searching for Eden. Pretending to be a human, Allie travels with the group, inevitably falling for Zeke. Though I’m not usually a fan of romance, I didn’t mind their relationship. It wasn’t quite of the dreaded insta-love variety. Zeke is a pretty good guy, but he hates vampires, which leads to some difficult situations.
THE IMMORTAL RULES is a long book; there’s a lot I’m not mentioning in this review. But I never felt like I was slogging through the pages to finish. The author’s writing is easy to read and flows nicely. I can’t believe I haven’t read her Iron Fey series yet, but it’s definitely moved up the list after reading THE IMMORTAL RULES.
I definitely recommend it if you like vampires or dystopias, because it’s a great combination of both. I reread it in preparation for book two of the series, THE ETERNITY CURE, and I’m glad I did.
Socialize with the author:
Julie Kagawa:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
– leeanna
Today I am the stop for the INFLUENTIAL MAGIC blog tour. The tour is hosted by Bewitching Book Tours and you can find the rest of the stops here. Check below my review for an interview with the author, Deanna Chase.
Info:
Title: Influential Magic
Author: Deanna Chase
Release Date: March 6, 2013
Publisher: Bayou Moon Press
Source: Author for blog tour
Series? Crescent City Fae #1
Genre: New Adult, Urban Fantasy
Page Count: 310
Rating: 
[4/5 stars]
Summary:
It’s tough being a faery in New Orleans, a city fraught with vampires… especially when their very existence drains your life-force.
Willow Rhoswen, owner of The Fated Cupcake and part-time vampire hunter for the Void is having a rough week. Four years after her twin brother’s mysterious death, Willow’s life is threatened and the director saddles her with a new partner—her ex-boyfriend, David. To her horror, he’s turned vamp, which causes her physical pain whenever she touches him… and any other specimen of the undead.
In order to save Willow’s life, David agrees to turn double agent against the most powerful vampire organization in New Orleans. Or so he says. And she’s convinced they know something about her brother’s death. Unsure where David’s loyalties lie, she turns to Talisen, her childhood crush, to help her solve the mystery.
Caught between two gorgeous men and a director who’ll stop at nothing to control Willow’s gifts, she’ll have to follow her instincts and learn who to trust. Otherwise, she risks losing more than just her life. (summary from goodreads)
My Review:
INFLUENTIAL MAGIC is a new adult, urban fantasy, a combination I’ve been trying to find for a while. Most new adult books are contemporary, which isn’t my cup of tea. I’m happy to say INFLUENTIAL MAGIC was worth the search!
Right from the start, the worldbuilding begins. Willow, the protagonist, is a faery, complete with wings that let her fly and an extreme sensitivity to metal. For her, spending several hours on a plane is more than just an annoyance: metal sucks away her energy. Which is not a good thing, because minutes after getting off the plane to New Orleans, she’s in a cemetery hunting a vampire. Cemeteries and vampires are two more deadly things to faeries like Willow.
I appreciated that the author didn’t do information dumps about the world, but gave information as it was needed. And what a world! In INFLUENTIAL MAGIC, faeries, vampires, and witches live amongst humans without hiding who they are. Willow runs a mega successful bake shop, selling magically enhanced goodies. I would love to get my hands on a Molten Muse cupcake, which sparks inspiration.
Aside from her bakery, Willow is also an agent for the Void, a government branch for supernatural dealings. So is her best friend and witch, Phoebe, as well as her aunt, Maude. It’s a big tangled deal, one Willow isn’t thrilled about being a part of. But she has a unique ability that is extremely helpful: she can track vampires.
There’s a LOT going on in INFLUENTIAL MAGIC. A lot in a good way. The action is fast, with barely a dull or down moment. There are tons of twists, and I really didn’t know how everything was going to tie together at the end. As someone who can usually figure out a book early on, I always like when a story is unpredictable. But at the same time, I had a small problem with so much action: I had trouble keeping track of the passage of time. Thinking back, it’s almost as if the whole story took place over the course of a very long day.
I also had some trouble with both of the men in Willow’s life. David, her ex-boyfriend, comes back into the picture as a vampire. He ended their relationship with a real jerk move — he sent her a text message. Willow has to deal with the feelings from that while trying to keep ahead of someone who wants to use her abilities. There’s also Talisen, the best friend of Willow’s deceased twin and a fellow fae. Talisen has become a sort of replacement brother for Willow, but she won’t go into boyfriend/girlfriend territory with him because he’s a playboy (play faery?). Though romance isn’t really a big focus, I didn’t know why Willow had dated David in the first place, since their relationship took place prior to the book. So their reconciliation or lack of one wasn’t important to me. And with Talisen, yeah he’s cute and cares for Willow, but I never felt the attraction between them.
Considering the entire book, though, those are two minor complaints. The writing in INFLUENTIAL MAGIC is strong, and the author easily drew me into the world, characters, and story. The main mysteries in this book are tied up at its end, but there are some open storylines leaving plenty of room for a sequel. I’d say the book is a steal at $3.99 for the Kindle version.
Oh goddess! I almost forgot to mention Link, Willow’s shapeshifter protector. If you like good animals characters, you’ll love Link. Sometimes he’s a Shih Tzu and sometimes he’s a wolf. He transforms with Willow’s moods and the situation, although there are some hilarious images of him in Shih Tzu form hanging from a bad dude’s butt by his teeth.
I’ve been writing for about six years now and when I started, self-publishing was known as the kiss of death for writers wanting any type of career. The only way to be taken seriously was to submit to agents and publishers and pray someone, anywhere would like what you write and give you a chance. I did my time on the query merry-go-round with not much success.
Then one day I read an article on Amanda Hocking. Up until that point, I had no idea Kindle Direct Publishing, Pubit (now NOOKpress), or Smashwords even existed. I spent the next forty-eight hours scouring the internet to find out as much as I could about the viability of self-publishing. After my eyes were glazed over and my head was spinning, I got that nervous anticipation feeling in my gut and I knew what I was going to do.
I’d been running the glass business I share with my husband for six years by then. Since I’m used to being my own boss, self-publishing seemed like a no-brainer. I like being in charge of my business and holding my professional fate in my own hands. And I was right. Self-publishing turned out to be the best decision I ever made. I now have a writing career that I’m proud of.
As far as the stigma of self-publishing, I wrote that blog post back in September of last year. I was (and am still) very proud of my accomplishments, but there was a bit of self-doubt about how other writers might see my choices. But attitudes and the market are changing so fast these days, I no longer feel the way I did then. I’m very proud and comfortable with my decisions. I wouldn’t change them and really, I’m no longer bothered by what anyone else may think.
2. I checked out your glass beads (which are awesome!). How did you get into lampworking, and do you find yourself working on beads when you’re stuck with writing?
Thank you!
In 1999 my husband and I were at a street fair and we saw a woman selling handmade glass beads and marbles that she made using a technique called lampworking (also known as flameworking). It’s called lampworking because in the past people used to melt glass over oil lamps. My husband (who at the time was a stained glass artist) decided he was going to learn to be a lampworker. He went home, bought a book and all the equipment, and three months later he was selling his work on eBay.
He did that as a hobby for three years. Then in 2003 my husband and I sold our house and moved into an RV to travel the country fulltime while working at campgrounds. It was a grand adventure that we both loved. Along the way, I started lampworking as well and in 2005 we started selling our glass beads and marbles fulltime. In 2007, when we decided we needed more studio space than our RV could handle, we settled into a house in southeast Louisiana. I started writing that year.
As far as lampworking when I get stuck writing, yes it helps. It helps a lot actually. The studio is a great place to work out plot issues.
3. Where did the idea for INFLUENTIAL MAGIC come from?
Hmm, tough question. To tell you the truth, I don’t even know. I started writing Influential Magic back in early 2011 after I decided Haunted on Bourbon Street, my previous novel, wasn’t going to find a home with a publisher. But then I learned about self-publishing and went full speed ahead on publishing the Bourbon Street novels. I came back to Influential Magic late last year to finish it because that story was always in the back of my mind.
I will tell you that Link, Willow’s shih tzu is inspired my dog Duncan (full name Duncan Donut). He’s positive he’s a wolf and quite pleased he has a starring role in Influential Magic.
4. I’m thrilled there’s finally a new adult novel that *isn’t* contemporary. Did you decide consciously to write new adult, or did Willow just pop into your head?
As I said earlier, I started writing this back in early 2011. I’m not even sure New Adult existed as a genre back then. So no, I didn’t consciously decide to write New Adult, but I think it does fit squarely in the genre given Willow’s age of twenty-four, the fact that she’s dealing with her childhood crush, and that she’s just now coming into her powers and what they mean for her life path.
5. When reading yourself, do you prefer e-books or physical books?
Both. And audio books. Audio books are great for when I’m in the studio.
6. Favorite book or series you reread? If you reread.
JK Rowling’s Harry Potter, of course.
The Hollows series by Kim Harrison.
And let’s not forget the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.
7. Any tips for aspiring writers?
To just write. If you have a story in you, get it out. Then worry about editing and story structure and all that good stuff. It’s wonderful to take workshops, find critique partners, and read books on how to write books. But until you have words down, you don’t have anything to work with. So if you want to write, then write.
Also, write from the heart. Don’t worry too much about what you think people want to read. Write what you want to read. If it means something to you, it’s likely the story will resonate with readers.
Giveaway:
Tour Wide Giveaway:
–One tote bag with a notebook, keychain and signed copy of Influential Magic
–One notebook, keychain and signed copy of Influential Magic
–3 keychains and signed copies of Influential Magic
–5 signed print copies of Influential Magic
–10 ebook copies of Influential Magic
Physical prizes open to US Shipping
About the author:
Deanna is a native Californian, transplanted to the slower paced lifestyle of southeastern Louisiana.
When she isn’t writing, she is often goofing off with her husband in New Orleans, playing with her two shih tzu dogs, making glass beads, or out hocking her wares at various bead shows across the country.
– leeanna
I’m participating in Reading Angel’s page count contest. It’s a fun way to push yourself to read more. My goal for May is 8,500 pages.
| Title | Author | Page Count |
| Amity & Sorrow | Peggy Riley | 320 |
| The Boleyn King | Laura Andersen | 368 |
| The Forgotten Ones | Laura Howard | 177 |
| Victoria Rebels | Carolyn Meyer | 265 |
| The Last Academy | Anne Applegate | 320 |
| Alpha Girl | Kate Bloomfield | 188 |
| The End Games | T. Michael Martin | 384 |
| Roses Have Thorns | Sandra Byrd | 336 |
Running count: 2,358
– leeanna
Today I am one of the stops for THE S-WORD blog tour. The tour is hosted by Shane at Itching For Books. You can check out the rest of the stops here.
Info:
Title: The S-Word
Author: Chelsea Pitcher
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Gallery Books
Source: Edelweiss/Blog Tour
Series? No
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Mystery
Page Count: 304
Rating: [4/5 stars]
Summary:
First it was SLUT scribbled all over Lizzie Hart’s locker.
But one week after Lizzie kills herself, SUICIDE SLUT replaces it—in Lizzie’s looping scrawl.
Lizzie’s reputation is destroyed when she’s caught in bed with her best friend’s boyfriend on prom night. With the whole school turned against her, and Angie not speaking to her, Lizzie takes her own life. But someone isn’t letting her go quietly. As graffiti and photocopies of Lizzie’s diary plaster the school, Angie begins a relentless investigation into who, exactly, made Lizzie feel she didn’t deserve to keep living. And while she claims she simply wants to punish Lizzie’s tormentors, Angie’s own anguish over abandoning her best friend will drive her deep into the dark, twisted side of Verity High—and she might not be able to pull herself back out. (summary from goodreads)
My Review:
I almost passed over THE S-WORD. As a rule, I don’t read a lot of contemporary fiction. It’s just not my favorite genre. But so far in 2013, I’ve read a couple of great contemporary books, so after reading the summary for THE S-WORD, I decided to give it a try.
I am happy I did. I like when YA books go deep into issues, and THE S-WORD explores quite a few, like bullying. I also like when YA books are realistic, and THE S-WORD is. There’s sex, drinking, and all the stuff teens do that adults don’t like to think they do. I think it’s important that teens have these realistic books, so that they have examples of how life can really be, instead of the sanitized and unrealistic relationships that populate many YA books.
Okay, I’ll get off my soapbox.
THE S-WORD is a powerful book that explores what the word “slut” really means. As Lizzie herself says, in a diary entry, “Ask a hundred people the meaning of that word and you’ll hear a hundred answers (p. 89, ARC).” The author leaves it to the reader to come up with their own meaning.
At the start of the book, Lizzie is already dead. But, as Angie says, Lizzie didn’t go quietly. A few days after Lizzie’s funeral, “Suicide Slut” shows up on lockers, the words written in Lizzie’s handwriting. Determined to find out who is making fun of her best friend’s suicide, Angie delves into the reasons why Lizzie took her own life. It’s not a pretty look, and Angie’s not always a character I liked. That was a plus for me, because usually, I am a character-driven reader, but the story the author created was compelling enough for me to overlook the fact that Angie was somewhat psychotic at times.
THE S-WORD is also a mystery, with layers of story surrounding the truth about Angie and Lizzie. It was a book I didn’t want to stop reading, because I had to find out what was going to happen next, or what truth would be revealed.
Excerpt:
Miss Popularity is found on the bleachers of the football field, positioned perfectly so the boys below can see all the way up her long, long legs, past the hem of her skirt, and then . . . nothing. her legs cross at the thigh, cutting off the view just when it gets interesting. We girls learn early what to show and what to hide, to walk that tightrope between useless prude and usable slut. p. 7, ARC)
Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
*giveaway is tour wide
About the author:
Chelsea Pitcher is a native of Portland, OR where she received her BA in English Literature. Fascinated by all things literary, she began gobbling up stories as soon as she could read, and especially enjoys delving into the darker places to see if she can draw out some light.
– leeanna
Info:
Title: Innocent Darkness
Author: Suzanne Lazear
Release Date: August 8, 2012
Publisher: Flux
Source: Library
Series? The Aether Chronicles #1
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Romance
Page Count: 408
Rating: [4/5 stars]
Summary:
Wish. Love. Desire. Live.
Sixteen-year-old Noli Braddock’s hoyden ways land her in an abusive reform school far from home. On mid-summer’s eve she wishes to be anyplace but that dreadful school. A mysterious man from the Realm of Faerie rescues her and brings her to the Otherworld, only to reveal that she must be sacrificed, otherwise, the entire Otherworld civilization will perish. (summary from goodreads)
My Review:
INNOCENT DARKNESS is one of the first books I found when I first started book blogging. At the time, it wasn’t yet published, and I couldn’t wait to read it. From the blurb and cover, the book seemed like a great mix of steampunk and faeries.
Fast forward to now. I don’t know why, but sometimes I keep putting off books I REALLY want to read. I did that with INNOCENT DARKNESS, but it worked out, because I don’t have to wait quite as long for book two, CHARMED VENGEANCE, coming out in August 2013.
There are a few steampunk elements in INNOCENT DARKNESS, but there’s a lot more focus on the faerie world and on romance. I didn’t mind that, because I liked the faerie world so much, but readers looking for pure steampunk might be disappointed.
Noli, or Magnolia, is the rebellious main character. She’s a rebel with a worthy cause — she doesn’t want to conform to societal standards for what a lady should be. She wants to go to college and to have a career. One of her favorite things to do is work on the flying automobile her father left her. But her mother insists that Noli make a good marriage, to restore the family name.
After an incident involving that flying car and the police, Noli is sent to a reform boarding school. I liked that the author wasn’t afraid to harm her characters — Findlay is a horrible place. It’s creepy, and I felt so bad for Noli and the other girls with the punishments they endured. There’s one scene that will make any book lover wince. Ouch.
From there, Noli is whisked into the faerie world. Kevighn Silver, the Queen’s Huntsman, is searching for a girl with plenty of “Spark,” which Noli has in abundance. Spark is creativity, joy for life, that sort of thing, and just what Findlay tried to beat out of her. But the Otherworld, while magical and something Noli didn’t believe in until she actually saw it, isn’t a place of rescue. Girls with the Spark have one purpose: to be a sacrifice.
INNOCENT DARKNESS ends with a real shocker, one that made me feel absolutely horrible for Noli. Again, I was pleased that the author wasn’t afraid to mess with her characters, because I wouldn’t have expected any less of faeries, especially in a dark fantasy.
There’s sort of a love triangle in the book, though I hesitate to label it as such because Noli doesn’t return Kevighn’s feelings. She’s in love with V, her best friend since they were kids. V is a cutely nerdy guy, one with a secret past that comes out over the course of the book.
I could tell INNOCENT DARKNESS was a first novel. There were a few phrases that were really overused, such as “loose women and opium” and “hoyden.” There was also one, “dollymop,” which Noli used a lot in reference to herself, but I had no clue what it meant.
I also liked that there’s some steamy content in the book. Authors usually shy away from anything other than kissing scenes in YA, but Noli and V share a few makeout dreams.
While in the moment, I greatly enjoyed INNOCENT DARKNESS. Looking back, I find myself being critical of some parts of it. So I’m going to stop here, before I over-analyze it. I’m looking forward to the next book to see what the author has in mind for Noli and the Otherworld.
Socialize with the author:
Suzanne Lazear:
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– leeanna
It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these. Honestly, my life is pretty boring (and I usually like it that way!), so I would just write the same thing week after week. I spend my time doing one of a few things: reading, at work, attempting to write, or trying to avoid cleaning. The last one’s for my mum — Hi mom! 
I said in my March summary that while I had learned about the April session of Camp NaNoWriMo, I wasn’t going to participate. That resolution lasted all of half a day. I set a goal of 35,000 words, which I thought was reasonable considering I didn’t really start until April 10 or so.
Because I have a spreadsheet fetish (I do!), I made one to keep track of my daily word counts. But I didn’t restrict it to just book writing. I included a column for reviews, because I spend a lot of time writing reviews. So far in April I’ve written (or have started) 13 reviews. I actually should have written a few more, but I’m trying to keep from burnout and not making myself review every book I read, although I’d like to. And I’ve read 16.5 books, plus some fanfic.
The number for “Fun” is an estimate. As much as I’d like to have the exact numbers for that category, it’s easier and faster to guestimate. “Fun” is a category for all my fun writing, like fandom and fanfic. As you can see, that’s my biggest percentage, and always is whenever I keep track of my words per month. Seeing that number usually makes me wish I could just turn my fanfic into fic. That would be nice.
So, I doubt I’m going to meet my goal of 35,000 words for my WIPs. I’m not too upset about that, because I think I’m finally learning how to write crap. Yup, write crap. I self-edit when I write, which is okay for short pieces. Stuff under 2,000 words. I hit a block on WIP 2 last week, and I was despairing, thinking, I’m never going to write anything over 1,000 words! But then, I started typing junk … and I hit almost 2,000 words. And I do mean junk — I’ve got multiple tenses in one sentence, different characters talking in the same paragraph, misspellings, and horrid grammar. But I am okay with that, because when I edit, I can clean it up. But I can’t edit and clean it up if I don’t have anything to work with!
That’s something I’ve been trying to do for a very long time. I tend to rewrite the same sentence or paragraph over and over until it’s just the way I want before moving on. It’s like I have a mental block. Honestly, it drives me nuts. But then a lot of things in my head do. LOL.
If you’ve made it to the end of this post (and I don’t blame you if you haven’t), I have a question for you. If you do something else that takes up a huge chunk of time, such as writing, how do you balance that with blogging? My site visits are down 50% this month, and I have a feeling that’s because I haven’t been posting as much and have been trying to write more. I could sleep less, I guess, but I really like my sleep.
– leeanna
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